LeFanu, Joseph Sheridan; Rosemary Valero - 0'Connell, illustrations; Poppy Z. Brite, introduction
Philadelphia: Beehive Books, 2025. Numbered by the illustrator as 234 of 400 copies. This is a stunning work published by Beehive Books as one of their ongoing Illuminated Editions series of oversized book reinventions of classic literary works. From their website: "Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu’s magnetic and sinuous 1871 novella introduced one of the iconic anti-heroines of gothic fiction, pioneered depictions of queer longing in European writing, and would go on to inspire Bram Stoker's Dracula. Today, Carmilla is considered a landmark work recognized for its major contributions to vampire fiction and queer gothic literature." Carmilla is a foundational vampire story that predates Dracula and explores themes of female desire and gothic horror.Sheridan Le Fanu (1814 - 1873} was an Irish writer of Gothic tales and mystery novels. He is considered by literary critics to be among the greatest ghost story writers of the Victorian era, as several of his works were central to the development of the genre.Le Fanu became a key figure in the dark romanticism movement during the 19th century, and had a major influence on later vampire and horror fictions such as Bram Stoker's Dracula (1897), among others. While several of his short stories, fictional novels, novellas, and horror pieces proved popular in his lifetime, he remains a central figure in vampire fiction largely due to the significance of Carmilla. Since his death, the novella has become one of the most influential works of vampire literature, having been adapted for films, operas, video games, Halloween plays, comics, songs, cartoons, and other media. Sheridan Le Fanu’s novella introduced one of the iconic anti-heroines of gothic fiction, pioneered depictions of queer longing in European writing, and would go on to inspire Bram Stoker's Dracula. Today, Carmilla is considered a landmark work recognized for its major contributions to vampire fiction and queer gothic literature.
sThis copy is from the standard editionl It is described as a stunning, oversized, illustrated edition of Le Fanu's classic vampire novella. The standard edition is an oversized 9 x 12 inches hardcover, cloth-bound in sewn signatures and housed in an elaborately embossed and debossed die-cut slipcase, silk-screened and foil-stamped with artwork.
The interior is printed on creamy, acid-free heavy-weight uncoated paper and includes dozens of full color illustrations, illuminated letters, and special design pieces.This title features intricate artwork by graphic novelist Rosemary Valero-O'Connell and an introduction by Poppy Z. Brite, it's a collector's edition housed in a decorative slipcase. Valero-O’Connell contributes a tender and menacing portfolio of original illustrations that picture the complex legacy of a landmark piece of horror fiction suffused with unfulfilled yearning between two young women. This startling new vision of Sheridan Le Fanu’s 1871 classic, featuring an exclusive introduction by the acclaimed novelist Poppy Z. Brite (Exquisite Corpse). Accompanied by a loose print of one of the illustrations and an illustrated booko mark, The book in its slipcase is in turn housed in a black and white paper covered box with bibliographic information on its front cover. In fine condition. LIT/011426. More
